Visions of Reality
by AmongstEmeraldClouds
Summary: "She has dreamt about being in a similar situation, not that long ago. Being chased…Being hunted down…" set during the Missing Year/Enchanted Forest. What happens when the search of the Wicked Witch' lair goes terribly terribly wrong...
1. Chapter 1

**Hey you guys! Okay!First things first!I'd like to say a GINORMOUS thank you thank you thank you to my wonderful beta for being who she is and helping me throughout this first fic-writing attempt. ehmmm...also! this first chapter will be short,shorter than the ones that follow which will be consequently longer ;-) Okay,I hope you'll enjoy it! Reviews are always welcome :-)**

 **Chapter 1:Introduction**

She has dreamt about being in a similar situation, not that long ago. Being chased…Being hunted down…The thing is, in those dreams, it was her past she had been running from. Now, though… Now she has flying monkeys roaming the skies above her head… Now she is not dreaming anymore… Now… Now she is no longer alone…

In reality, she hasn't been alone for quite some time, pretty much since their return in the Enchanted Forest. In the beginning it was mostly Snow White that would seek her out, either to start a conversation or, to just simply spend some time together, quietly walking next to each other, basking in the comfort of familiarity, of moments shared between the two…

Lately, though, there has been another lingering presence, both in the shadows as well as in the broad daylight. A figure cloaked in dark tones of earthy green and brown, matching each of her steps, subtly making sure she is never that much alone and, most importantly, never truly unprotected.

Sure, in the beginning (although she _is_ currently unable to pin point the exact moment he started walking a little closer or unexpectedly showing up when it was, seemingly, least probable) she was somewhat annoyed with his lack of discretion and her consequent absence of privacy. She didn't even have to lift her gaze to verify he was around. Because he was. He always was. But it was his maddening smell of pine, soil and earth evading her senses, and his rich, masculine, throaty laughter saved, as she had noticed, mostly for his son, that gave him away…

She _was_ annoyed in the beginning, but the beginning was no more, and if she was completely honest with herself, she found his presence reassuring and comforting, filling the empty space between herself and everyone else.

Indeed, she hasn't been alone for quite a while. Still, she had never realized how much she truly appreciated that. Not until now…


	2. Chapter 2

**_Indeed she hasn't been alone for quite a while. Still, she had never realized how deeply she truly appreciated that. Not until now…_**

In reality, there had been several weeks since the day that her new curse engulfed them and transported them to the very familiar but somehow estranged landscape of what they once used to call home. Home… what a strange word. How much gravity and meaning do those four letters carry. And yet she couldn't associate this very private word with _this_ place… A place where the most loved, intimate and precious part of her life was not by her side. A place lacking a young boy who meant more than he could ever imagine. A place that was destined to cast her into oblivion, for, in this place, she is nothing but a story. A myth. A fairy tale just not so fairy after all. A place where she is missing her son and her son has gone missing…

There had been several weeks since their group of foreigners intertwined their destinies with faces both known and unknown, creating a rather peculiar group of all kinds of colors and fabrics. Red, grey, blue, _green_ , satin, lace, _wool_ …

There had been several weeks since she had to make peace with the fact that what used to be _her_ castle, was not hers any more. What used to be her _land_ was hers no longer. She would be lying though, if she didn't admit that sharing her belongings as well as her life and her burdens with people willing to help didn't offer any solace. Cause it did. More than she could ever admit, having the Charmings with her, the last thread of connection between herself and Henry, enveloped her in a soothing and healing fog that made life a little easier and breathing a little less forced.

There had also been several weeks of council meetings which was exactly the reason why she currently found herself in such an arduous situation. Since the Wicked Witch hadn't made any move for quite some time, _that_ had cast a feeling of unease to everyone thus proving necessary that this time it was up to them to act before something worse would come their way. So, during the aforementioned meeting it was decided that a scouting group would try and track down the Wicked Witch in an attempt to find her hiding place.

Agreeing upon the direction they would follow had most definitely _not_ been an easy matter. All kinds of opinions were expressed, for some of them thought that it would be best to travel towards the North of the forest while others preferred a trip headed to the South. No matter what though, the thing that was most important, for Regina as well as Snow and Charming, was to secure first and foremost a maximum degree of safety. For those were lands that not many had set foot on, even back at the time when living here was the only life they knew. Sure, being accompanied by Robin and his Merry Men added a solid advantage to their mission, but still, those were lives no one wanted to jeopardize. So, since it was stated that following the road to the North would be less dangerous, that was the path they found themselves following.

The scouting party, as it was considered best, needn't consist of many members. Having already established that attracting as less attention as possible would be of the utmost importance, their assembly was composed by herself, the Charmings (though she wasn't sure _that_ was a good idea what with Snow being pregnant and all), Red, Mulan, five of the Merry Men and their leader, who just kept being included to everything lately, causing her nerves to be on edge and her heart to beat a little that much faster. And that's how they found themselves horseback riding into the deepest parts of the Sherwood Forest...

It was strange, she thought, how a place like this, filled with so many heartbreaking memories, memories of loss and hatred and loneliness, could, at the same time, be such a wondrous sight to behold, such a beautiful place to spend your life. The sun had begun its decent and a variation of colors too extraordinary for words to describe had taken their rightful place on the velvety sky. Crimson, pink, orange and a few scattered silver linings of grey adorned every inch of the sky and she was left speechless by the magnificence of it all. You see, for as long as she could remember, she had always wanted to escape this place. Always imagined being somewhere else, far away, where her mother's expectations would be too far away to reach her, where she would be the person she wanted to be without feeling trapped and locked in a life that didn't feel like it was hers to live. She would lay on her bed in the evenings or she would stare at the endless sky while feeling the soft grass on her back and she would let her mind drift to distant places… Where she could be happy… Where she _would_ be happy. Existing here, _now_ , breathing the freshly poured rain upon the revived ground, the fragrance evading her senses, it was easy for her mind to take her back to a time she had tried to cast into oblivion, a time when she was less than what was expected of her, when she was someone she didn't recognize at all…

That string of thoughts kept her focus occupied hence rendering her unaware of the fact that their group had come to a halt. Apparently, while she was taking glimpses of her past, someone had suggested they stopped for the horses to be fed and also for themselves to stretch a bit and relax their sore muscles. Sitting on the saddle can be comfortable for so long…

Their newly welcomed peace lasted but a few moments.

Soon the air was filled with a screeching sound that caused her memory to take a dive into that very first day of their arrival, when she had found herself and Snow being attacked by a couple of "winged freaks", a small part of her sister's (undoubtedly peculiar-looking) army. Unfortunately, that was exactly where she found herself once more.

She had thought they were cautious. Keeping it quiet throughout their journey hadn't been just Regina's course of action. Obviously this place was affecting everyone more or less, one way or another… The only sound escorting them that of the trees rustling. The delicate movement of the branches offered more solace than any words and the wind occasionally picking up felt like a caress…

But still… evidently, even _that_ hadn't been enough…

One moment she was discussing the possible hiding place of her so called sister with Snow and the following they were under attack by this absurdly looking flying army.

It only took a couple of seconds for total chaos to erupt, with their scouting group being seemingly assaulted from everywhere. It surely felt as if the skies had opened, raining monkeys down on them.

She watched as people frantically tried to escape, to save themselves and the ones they cared about, while one after the other started to disappear in the thick darkness of the forest.

And Regina just… _stood_ there. Looking above. Unmoving . Unafraid. Unaccustomed to finding herself under such circumstances.

For a moment everything stood still. The noises of the world dissipated, while the warmth of the sun was lightly kissing her olive skin. The only existing sound the one her heart was producing. The only feeling she was experiencing the one of her blood pulsating inside her veins ..

 _She_ was the one that wicked sister of hers was after. Maybe it could end just like that. Nobody had to suffer because of her. Not anymore. It wasn't like the thought hadn't crossed her mind before. How her surrender would release everyone of the dread and fear that had consumed their lives. How it would release _her._ She _wanted_ to be free. She wanted this heaviness that had taken a permanent place in her chest to be lifted. Her thoughts… her _thoughts_ … How would she deal with those every day? So far it had been a struggle. Worrying too much. Feeling too much. Maybe… _maybe_ … maybe that was the answer after all… what she didn't go through with before. Though this time Regina was certain that her fate wouldn't be a sleeping curse, an infinite middle. An infinite _end_ would be more probable, coming from the hands of her _dear_ sister.

It was then that she heard it… her name. Weak at first. Probably coming from afar. How could she know, though? She was so fixated in her thoughts that she couldn't notice anything or anyone.

Her name… almost like a whisper… almost like things long forgotten….

Maybe she was imagining this. Besides, who would risk their lives for her? Even the Charmings… They had a baby to take care of and she certainly wasn't going to make another innocent child grow without its parents . Of that she was certain.

But the sound only grew stronger. Came closer.

It was then that she saw him… _him_ …

She didn't register nothing else but his eyes. So blue. So deep. So penetrating. Only a hair's breadth away… She didn't move. She just kept standing there. Kept looking at him, truly noticing him, for what honestly felt like the very first time. The hard lines of his face, the neatly trimmed stubble, the few wrinkles around his eyes. His _eyes_ … _God_ … She could feel herself getting lost in those blue depths, never wanting to resurface ever again. But there was something else there too. Except for the care and the warmth… was that… What _was_ that?

It was then that she felt it. His hand grabbing her upper right arm, not painfully but strongly, supporting her, keeping her alive, and forcefully yanking her with him in the stillness of the forest.

She wasn't alone anymore. And _that_ made all the difference…


	3. Chapter 3

Focus...

 _Focus!_

She has to concentrate…

* * *

The first thing she noticed when her senses seemed to return was the distinctive itchiness that now adorned both her face as well as her exposed shoulders, carved on her smooth skin by the branches that never got out of her way, branches she could have avoided has she been paying attention to her surroundings. Her surroundings…where _were_ they exactly?

Judging from the clear opening they had reached they must have been running for quite a while. The density of the forest, she noted, had subsided greatly, giving place to a somewhat round area, void of trees, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. And yet she seemed to recall none of it. Her mind was still clouded with her previous thoughts, thoughts of a past rendered to remain forever as it was and a future that had yet to be decided.

The second thing she noticed was his hand still holding her own. The heat radiating from his touch where their fingers met. She wouldn't quite admit it -not yet at least - but Robin's hold on her was the only thing anchoring her to their current, shared, reality… Folding her hand with his own he quite unknowingly made her feel less alone, still reminding her that she was there. The _he_ was there with her…

She should protest… And she _would_ have had his touch not felt so natural and so very soothing…No no no no _no!_ What was she thinking?! She was the queen… right? She was! Wasn't she? She sure didn't feel like a queen at the moment, but she was. She had never wanted it though. This was never the life she'd have chosen for herself had she been asked. Had she been a part of the decision that would determine such a great part of who she'd become. _A Queen_ … She could still hear her mother's words. How that was the future she deserved. But it was _her_ future nonetheless. And as such, she should have had a say for, in the end, it was her resolution and no one else's.

Gosh how she despised the reign that was forced upon her and along with it a marriage that made her feel like a silly toy, like a trophy only to be shown around when the occasion required it and cast aside when there wasn't use for it any longer. She never liked this kind of life. Feeling trapped within the small confines of a title she never really wanted for herself. Trapped within a life that seemed to suffocate her as the days passed and turned into years.

She _had_ to concentrate…

The opening…

His hand…

Him…

 _Robin_ …

Breathe… Oh God she cannot breathe… she has to stop-

"Milady?" Robin's voice sounded labored and distant- their running having obviously taken its toll on him as well-and the momentum of her abrupt halt having forced him to take a few steps further from where she was standing, before all movement was finally seized.

Bent in two, her hands clutched her skin underneath which her lungs lay, forcing those _damned_ organs to function properly by taking deep, long breaths. Breaths that came out shaky and broken and were inhaled with equal force and difficulty… What was the _matter_ with her? She felt salt water cascading down her flushed cheeks and then two gentle hands…warm fingers cupping her face, thumbs softly wiping the tears that she had no recollection of having allowed to be shed. Leaning into his touch and finding there a tenderness that she had long ceased to think was possible but that came so easily in his company...

"Milady?" Robin tried once more, his worry evident though his warm accent ever resilient, a constant balm for her sore heart.

"I…I can't…" came her answer, constrained and pointed.

"You can't what? What is it?" and when no reply arrived, he needed only to add a soft " _Regina_ …" for her eyes to finally rise from the ground upon which they had found shelter.

 _That_ was the moment her eyes landed on his own for the first time since they had stopped running. The moment that her given name fell from his lips like a whisper. Like a promise… Many were the times that she had reprimanded him on his tendency to call her by any other name other than her royal title. "It's Your _Majesty_ " she would say, anger flaring, temper rising. And yet, had she known what feeling would accompany such a liberty she would have allowed it, allow _him,_ long ago.

His thumbs now moving in small, light circles at the area where he still touched her crimson cheeks and she could feel her heart pace slowing down, her feelings of loss subsiding, her hurt fading just a little bit.

 _God…_ how on earth she was supposed to voice all those thoughts that seemed to violently attack her mind, ripping her soul apart. She wanted to... For the first time since forever she felt like someone was genuinely interested in her well being, in her _being well!_ And for that she wanted to give him a parcel of her secrets… just a little bit. Show him that she understood his intentions, that she accepted them even. That she trusted him. But _now_ was not the time. There _would_ be a time, she decided; she would make sure of that, but not just yet. Not while they were running for their lives. Not when everything was so very uncertain.

Hands that were, until then, caressing her cheek, slid down her neck, both coming to rest at the junction where her neck and shoulder meet. She could feel her skin buzzing at the touch of his calloused fingers and she could only hope that he wouldn't feel how deeply this contact was affecting her, how accelerated her pulse seemed to be once more, for reasons far more different than of moments ago.

A nod and her soft _"Let's go"_ was all the reassurance he needed, his questioning eyes taking her in, giving her a moment while stealing one for himself (he was a thief after all), and the light squeeze she gave his arm was all that he wanted, a clear enough indication that she was ready to move forward, wherever that forward may lead them.

The sound of the approaching monkeys filled the air, for what seemed like the millionth time that day _("What is this Witch feeding them?"_ Regina thought) and that was enough for him to grab Regina's hand once again, a token of a shared understanding and a proof of his feelings, and run towards the end of the clearing. They had to reach the main part of the forest where they wouldn't be as easy a target as they were while remaining at this exposed area. The forest would hide them, creating a shield between themselves and the never resting beasts. Just a while longer…

Almost there…

* * *

When the shadows of the trees finally fell upon them Robin felt himself relaxing a little, knowing that, for now at least, they could catch their breaths and hopefully come up with a plan. Running forever didn't seem like a plausible thing to do, in all honesty.

His back touched the nearest tree trunk and he leaned on it, allowing his weight to be shared with the solidity that this ancient creature provided, alleviating some of the strain and exhaustion that were progressively taking residence in his body. Regina fared quite similarly, her hilled boots and heavy apparel not the best choice for intense running, nor for simple horseback riding for that matter, for her own heaviness had begun long before their recent activities. She let her cloak fall on the ground, landing with a thud, clear indication of its weight, and using her magic (a little magic wouldn't harm that much, surely) she changed her hilled boots with flat ones. God knows how much running was yet to be forced upon them. When she was finally feeling a little less like " _a loaded camel",_ she allowed her eyes a glimpse at Robin, only to find him watching _her_ in return. What was it with this man and the way he was looking at her? She could feel a blush starting to creep up her neck and it was then she decided to become slightly more active, or to tell the truth, to offer a distraction from the place her mind was taking her, a place involving no one but herself and a very handsome, blue-eyed Merry Man.

"What now?" came her request and that seemed to revive him a little bit as well. It seemed that concentrating on a task was working for both their favors.

"Are you alright?" he replied with a question, wanting to make sure that she was at least in a better state than not that long ago.

"Fine…" and she didn't even have to wait for his eyebrow to lift to know that she didn't sound convincing. This was going to be a long day she thought, releasing a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. "Doesn't matter," she admitted with a sigh that was far more revealing for her liking," let's just figure out how to get away from this God forsaken place" , came her reply for he owed him that bit of honesty at least.

She was sure her words didn't sound really satisfying but after a long moment of him staring at her he gave her a nod and with a push of his lower body and hands he left the tree he was leaning at behind, coming to stand closer and closer – _and closer._

"I think we should wait until the night has fallen. The sun is already lowering so it won't take that long. With the darkened sky and the forest I don't think we will be so easily tracked."

"I could transfer us both to the palace then. After they have ceased to follow us that is…" she added, earning an appreciative nod from the man whom, not that long ago, could not stand being near at and yet, now, she couldn't think of a better place for him to be…

"Shall we then?" Robin asked, and _this_ time he didn't have to take her hand.

 _This_ time, it was given to him …


	4. Chapter 4

**Hiiiiiii :-D so,here's another update, as always, with a very much appreciated help from my beta! (she deserves the biggest hug,I am telling you!) I hope you enjoy! I loved writing this chapter as well as the 5th and I just cant wait to see where this story will take...itself! we'll see ;-)**

 **Chapter 4**

Things progressed very quickly and very _very_ poorly soon afterwards… Zelena's flying beasts had proven to be a lot smarter than both Robin and Regina had originally estimated… well… maybe not _smart_ (Regina wouldn't go as far as giving such a compliment to such foul creatures) but, for sure, they were canny, and a lot more well trained than one would imagine.

Despite the fact that the duo had thought that a level of safety would be accomplished if they were to stay hidden underneath the heaviness of the lavish forest, this ever resourceful simian army had them, once again, trying to figure out the best possible hiding place. They had walked a good ten meters forward where they would be led to the deepest part of the forest, the darkness barely enveloping them in its safeness, when these atrocious monkeys had taken a dive and had chosen to proceed their mission of capturing their targets on foot. Their very own footsteps, stepping on fallen leaves, would had hidden the sound of the creatures' descend, had Robin not being paying equal attention to his companion _and_ to their hunters' movements. Their landing couldn't have lasted more than mere seconds but the gap that that submergence provided was enough for Robin to make his quick move. Having been the first to realize what was taking place and what would soon transpire if he didn't move fast enough he pulled an unaware Regina to his right, behind a tree large enough to keep them both unseen for a while longer.

To say that Regina was surprised by his bold move would be the understatement of the century (might as well of the millennium, why the hell not!?). One moment she was scanning the woods for a hint of direction and the next her whole body was being moved without her consent, her back landing with noise on the aforementioned tree and Robin's body resting almost entirely on top of hers, placing his left forearm at her eye's level next to her head, and the other, his right one, tightly securing a hold at the dagger he was always carrying with him, a dagger hanging securely from a loop of his belt.

Drawing a deep breath she was about to vocalize an unimaginable amount of protests when she was beaten to it as the thief had apparently realized her intentions and decided to take things on his own hands (his very _very_ skilled ,masculine ,calloused yet soft hands) - quite literally .Indeed, she felt two fingers landing on top of her lips, silencing her, while he lifted his other hand, placing his index finger to his own lips and with a nod of his head he pointed at the direction that the monkeys were currently standing, sniffing the air for their prey.

She was so curious as to what his eyes were seeing and what hers were deprived of that she instinctively leaned forward, her upper body now colliding with Robin's in its entirety, causing her breath to catch somewhere in her throat and her eyes to lift .Her uncertainty palpable, she allowed her eyes to take their time, absorbing his face, mapping his details, the route from his shoulders (where she was until then resting her eyes) to the lines of his lean neck, his strong jaw, his trimmed beard, his straight ,lean, nose, and finally, his eyes. Eyes as blue as a cloudless summer day that were now staring back at her with an intensity she had tried to deny before, but was now so apparent as it was the warmth she was nurturing towards this man more and more lately.

Leaves rustling and feet moving unveiled their clouded minds and her attempt to see what Robin was looking at continued once more. Still in a haze from the connection that was still taking place between them, she leaned a little further (clearly more than she should have) and miscalculating the shift of her body's weight she felt her body falling …

She had to admit, she owed the man, more than she could ever pay him back, she thought, for he was quick in his movements, skilled in noticing even the slightest of changes thus he too easily encircled her body, returning it in its original, natural, straight posture, securing them both from exposal.

She tried to avoid his gaze but she could feel his eyes caressing her skin, scanning her face slowly, wandering, searching with a curiosity that she realized had everything to do with the fact that her clumsiness must have been misinterpreted for a death wish…only it was everything _but_ a death wish. It was more of a need, a want and a willingness for something she couldn't quite pin point but felt oddly familiar and yet somehow nothing but an aftertaste of emotions and situation she thought she would never come to experience ever again.

She closed her eyes allowing him to fully embrace her, not just as something to lean on but someone to lean _to_ ,feeling him securing her more firmly to him ,holding her impossibly close, impossibly steady, impossibly his…

His arms never left her body, the spot they occupied upon her. Furthermore, the more he felt Regina relaxing, figures molding to one, the closer he held her , unable to define who was protecting whom, which of the two had the deepest desire for what was now occurring between them.

Although he couldn't see her face Regina felt more exposed than she ever had in the past. How strange, how entirely peculiar the human heart is, working in ways that none would expect. Longing for something and when the object of its desire is captured ,finally, it begins anew in a request different than before, searching, wondering, never settling….

He must have felt her heart's pace getting progressively ,almost instantaneously, quicker for ,after putting the slightest distance between them, enough for him to see her eyes without harming his very own he whispered "It's okay…", just a breath from her lips, the air his words created landing upon her sealed lips, cooling them, his forehead resting on her own, his nose bumping with hers in a most touching way that had her heart melting a bit towards where his own live-beating organ was resting. How odd of him to understand her in ways that words never could…

She wasn't worried… it wasn't fear the emotion that she was experiencing. It was more the heaviness of sentiments coming back to her from a very vague time when all she wanted was the love of a stable boy. And the amount of emotions she was trying to place , all rushing back in waves along with the whole "running for their lives" detail, made quite a load on her shoulders. So many emotions resurfacing in the hour they had spent together running from those beasts…

Coming to think about it…

Where _were_ those horrid artifacts?

"Robin?"

Gosh ,why did her voice have to come out so hoarse?

"Hmm?", his only reply, obviously still under the cloak of their fogged state.

"It is quiet… _Too_ quiet…" ,Regina provided, and she needn't say it a second time , for Robin's hands were already reaching for his arrows and bow, securing them in place, and with a swift turn he was no longer facing her ,his back to her face and his eyes ever inspecting of their surroundings.

She knew, herself, something was off. Before their … ehm…current state of… _affairs_ the monkeys were heard , creating some short of sound, even distantly , this whole time. Now though, _now_ there was an eerie stillness as if all sounds had vaporized. And _that ,_ Regina knew, was _never_ a good omen.

Her mind travelled back to another realm , another epoch, foreign to her now, when Henry was young enough, oblivious –to whom she really was-enough, ( long before words such as "you are the evil queen" and "you are not my mum" ever left his lips) when they would snuggle on their couch, resting on the soft, fluffy cushions, him soundly resting on the crook of her neck, her arms loosely hugging him, watching documentaries on Animal Planet.

She could ,even now , summon back memories of Henry's mild gasp, his lungs ceasing their movement for just a heartbeat, when ,in his tender age, wacthed a lion ,stalking its prey, lowering its body till it almost connected to the African soil, seemingly disappearing from sight before it reemerged, jumping forward, his claws digging and ripping the skin of the gazelle, a victim that the male was not two minutes later carrying back to its clan , to feed its members.

She could still recall these memories while she had inadvertently taken the place of that gazelle, of that victim. Victim to the claws of another hunter. Another animal. She could still recall these memories while a pandemonium of screeching noises erupted, clouding the atmosphere above them. She could still recall these memories while Robin's arrows were being shot the one after the other, leaving his bow , creating a wave of wood and steel meant to cause wounds that would never heal. She could still recall these memories while she watched him being thrown ten meters away from her, his ribs hitting a fallen log, his eyes getting lost in unconsciousness … She could still recall these memories while fireballs escaped her palms, fireballs she didn't remember having ordered to be released, but were now burning fur, nonetheless, allowing a solemn final breath from those two animals that were now nothing more than lifeless bodies… She could still recall these memories when , taking in her surroundings her eyes found the sight of an unmoving Robin, laying on the ground. And she could _still_ recall these memories, when his name fell from her lips like a whisper. Her legs moving, running and ,ultimately, carrying her next to him. _"_ _Robin…"_


	5. Chapter 5

**Hiiiii guyyssss :-) I am so so sorry it has been that long since my last update but between my uni classes and my extra curricula activities I didn't have much time for anything else and I didnt want to write anything in haste nor be sloppy in my updates so... The good news is that the 6th Chapter won't take neerly as much time for its upload! it's almost finished and ready to ,enough of that! I hope you'll enjoy this chapter! it was really nice to write,I can tell you that! As always, reviews are so very very welcome and appreciated! I'll leave you to it ;-)**

 **Chapter 5**

Smooth mattress, warm velvety sheets covering him up to the middle of his sternum, revealing a strong but beaten figure, crisp breath of air refreshing the fragrance lingering from the candles burning for far too long in a corner of the room.

Where _was_ he actually?

Slowly opening his eyes, the realization hit him that he was not in the forest any more, but instead his sight met the safety of his champers.

Casting any remnants of sleep away, he scanned the room only to find Little John (who was little no longer) soundly asleep ,though in a seemingly much uncomfortable position, on a nearby armchair, filling the otherwise empty of sounds room with his heavy breathing and light snore.

He should wake him up, Robin thought, for the longer he remained positioned in such a way (head resting on his left shoulder hands fold on top of his ever growing stomach and long legs stretched in the space in front of him) the worst his body will treat him come morning. And yet, he did no such thing , no awakening took place as memories of the last time he was on the outside of the castles walls and into the woods were accompanied by the everlasting sensation of Regina's warm breath caressing his cheek like a transparent touch, sweat , arrows and a strong , apparently very painful , impact with a fallen log, judging from the strain that overtook the bruised muscles of his lower stomach and his left upper ribs , as he attempted to slightly lift his body in order to get more comfortable – his back touching the beadhead ,his lower body still lying on the bed.

Wait… if _he_ was here, where _exactly_ was Regina?

And how did he end up here in the first place?!

Not thinking of his friend's slumbering state he called for his name only to be met with incoherent mumbling. Apparently, Little John's odd resting place didn't seem to prevent him from sleeping deeply and…quite enjoyably, if the lightness of his brow and the easiness of his breaths were any indications. Robin knew that living restrained inside the castle didn't come easy to his mate, nor to the rest of their party, as a matter of fact. Sleeping underneath the starry midnight sky wasn't easily forgotten even at the exchange of soft beds and warm meals.

Rest was hard to come by for them all as the significance of their confinement was floating above their heads, heavier with each passing day, and Robin was all too aware of that. Regretfully, Little John's calmness would have to wait for now.

With a much louder tone John's name left his lips ,more effectively this time, for John awoke with a jolt ,his hand grabbing his knife, his eyes frantically scanning the room for intruders till his gaze found Robin's. Lowering the hand that was positioned for a fight, and with a heavy exhale and a smile starting to form John replied to his friend's raised in a questioning manner eyebrow, while approaching the bed "You gave us quite a scare ,my friend, " he said, while sitting on the bed –the mattress bulking under the added heaviness ," The Queen ordered for someone to watch over you till you graced us with your awakened presence " , came Little John' sarcastic , but filled with emotions and prominent worry, comment causing Robin to smirk playfully. "Honestly mate," he continued, " she was really upset. She yelled at the poor healer and then took it upon herself to mend you. You seemed quite bad…," he added after his fit of laughter from his previous comment had ceased, only to carry on with a full description of his bruised stomach, the bones broken in abnormal positions, blood gashing from his wounds on his forearms, his upper cheekbone scratched and his temple now downing a very distinctive scar.

"She only left when Granny scolded her off and Snow White practically begged her to check herself and clean up . Let me tell you mate , you weren't the only one looking like sack of potatoes! I don't know what did the two of you face in the forest but she did _not_ come unscathed. She was bewildered…" he offered to Robin who hadn't uttered a word up to that point.

"She is okay, then?" ,was his question , met with a raised brow coming from Little John this time.

"What happened in the woods Robin?" he replied with a question of his own, only to be dismissed with a "no matter, _is_ she alright?" . Robin's exasperation now evident .

"Aye, _that_ she is. Bad tempered as ever, but fine. Haven't seen her for days though."

" _Days_?" Robin asked in shock and the affirmation his was given made him wonder exactly how much effort and energy did Regina waste on him. She was exhausted ,that much he remembers and with all the magic she gave away she must had been in a very weak state.

Not giving voice to his concern of the Queen's well being that was now harassing his mind he elaborated with a worrisome "How did we end up here?", for ,amongst everything else, he could also recall them being lost and in quite an ill disposition.

"From what I heard, Tuck was told by Will, who was told by Belle, who was told by Ruby , who was told by Granny wh-"

" _okay okay_ , got it!" Robin interrupted what seemed like a progressive monologue of endless listing, uninterested of athe who-told-whom rant.

"ugh…," came Little John's answer," right…from what I heard (accompanied by am appreciative nod on Robin's behalf) after those winged freaks attacked you, she transferred you both here. The princess and the prince were very upset. They had been on the search for you for hours – _we all were_ , he added carefully- (and what exactly did he think, Robin wondered, that they did it on _purpose_?) .They had just gotten back, to plan where they should go next on their search when the Queen landed out of nowhere in the middle of the Great Hall with you lying unconscious and her covered in blood"

"Everyone thought it was her own bleeding but then she started screaming that they should take you to your chamber…"

"She wouldn't leave your sight mate. When Granny tried to take her on the side ,at first, to tend to her injuries she almost took her head off. She said she was okay and then came here and ….you know the rest…"Little John finished with his tale, that wasn't at all his to be honest, and at the worried and contemplating sight of Robin he added "she _is_ okay mate, _that_ much I know."

He didn't feel very well even after having his skin soothed and cleansed with oils, his bandages renewed Even though his stomach's lacerations were causing him a little less pain than before. His cut skin was itching, pulling whenever he moved to sit or , God forbid, _walk_ , several curses being released under his breath more than once.

Even in the sanctuary of his privacy his fears were not assuaged , fears concerning a Queen resting some floors above where he currently resided, on the eastern tower of her castle.

He wasn't sure of the ground upon which their relationship stood after all that transpired under the shadows of the pine trees. Thoughts slopping around his veins , thoughts of a well hidden side of her that she so freely allowed him to witness made his heart flatter. He had been falling for her for quite some time now and though he couldn't deny that there was a certain tension between them from the start , he had merely thought that she just disliked him, having oh so many times expressed her disapproval of his presence.

Never had he thought that all that could have been nothing but a shield protecting a broken heart from being abused once more.

He wished she knew she needn't carry a fear of that ever happening. Not because of him at least ,for he would rather cut his own heart out and crash it himself than break hers. And that was a truth so manifestly, so poignantly true that even in his own declaration he felt his breath hatch. When had this woman begun to mean so much to him?!

 _Her heart_ ….

How he had cared for that precious, delicate organ of hers, how he cared not only for every single one of her body parts but for her as a whole as well.

Pain and strain be damned, his mind was set , decisions made, intentions clear…

Carefully he lifted the warm blankets from his body, the chill of the afternoon air hitting him, making his every nerve even more aware of how definitely correct what he was intend on doing felt. Carefully he exited his room and made his way for the staircase…

He had a place he needed to be…


	6. Chapter 6

**This is the point where I apologize for such a long wait.I didn't mean for it to be that long since my last update but with all the studying etc etc etc I just didn't have the time. I hope it won't be long till my next ! I know that you may think I am keeping Regina away from Robin on purpose...well...I _do_ but only because I have finally a somewhat clear image of where this is going and I need time for them to be apart...for now! okay, I am leaving you to it ;-) have fun!**

 **Chapter 6**

The smell of rain evaded her senses, a welcome distraction from thoughts of past events, events that seemed to take a permanent place in her mind lately. The sky had been cloudy, a cloak of the darkest shades of grey taking residency upon what used to be clear blue and she had wondered… Wondered if the weather, if those strong forces, could somehow sense her inner turmoil cause they seemed to so very accurately depict what she was feeling on the inside. Worry had settled in her soul, and a question about how the thief was fairing, since his current state was, obviously, once again, her fault. Oh the guilt… What a useless thing and yet one cannot escape once ones' soul is being held captive by its strong hold. Guilt and worry… _gosh_ … Any attempt to reach a peaceful state was pointless for her mind was already preoccupied with thoughts of circumstances far beyond her control. At least that's what both Granny and Whale (I guess it would be just "Victor" for now) agreed upon, to her utter dismay, when it came to judging Robin's wounds. She had, at least, been allowed to do _something_ about it but definitely not in the extent that she would have had she not been purposefully removed from Robin's sight, the excuse of her well being staining her heart a tad more…

How did she let things get that far? She shouldn't care that much… She really shouldn't. It didn't feel right, while her son was so far away (you see ,sometimes, it is not the space that causes all the pain, for a loss can be equally heartbreaking once what you knew and loved and cared for is long gone).

Somehow, moving on without him felt like the uttermost betrayal. Whom she'd betray and with what, though, was a totally different discussion for it was her own heart playing tricks at her and no one else. You see, she _knew_ and pretty damn well, if she'd make a try for honesty, that Henry would have never _ever_ expected nor wanted for her to stop living, moving on, starting anew, just because of _his_ absence. But the thoughts of what he would have said had he been around made her dive even deeper in grief and self loathing and so she wondered if the only possibility of her to ever move on, truly and completely, would be for the memories of her son to be hidden from her immediate grasp somewhere deep inside the corners of her brain, in another type of vault, a spot she rarely visited cause it kept things lost and moments never to be relived again and _that_ was a bitter weight to bare. How hurtful things that once filled you with joy can be when they are doomed to their grave? All the laughter, all the carefree minutes, all this overflowing happiness that made her feel like it was all worth it… how heart shattering can such dear things be? Once upon a time she was someone else, a someone else whose life was now hunting her present. It mattered not the life she once thought was hers. Actually, more than once. But that didn't matter either. There was a present and it soon would become past, an unrelenting, unforgiving, lonely past. Unless… God how she had dreaded these thoughts…That _unless_ was what she was trying to avoid from the very beginning cause she knew that once she went down that path there was no escape, no return. Her heart had a mind of its own and Regina was well aware that, as much as one would try to force it into a different condition, whether by removal or hide, a heart could not forget. And that wretched organ was now beating not only for herself, pulsating blood in her body not just for her shake but for him too… She could still taste the remnants of her magic making contact with broken skin and bruised muscles. She could recall how, reviving him had caressed her with her own kind of renaissance. Again and again and again she wondered how is that even possible. How can two people, made from different elements, forged by a different kind of ingredients, create such a profound, heartrending connection even though one of them would lay unconscious… _That_ she could not get over….Something had happened between them, much more than a kiss _almost_ exchanged and heat willingly shared. She left a piece of her inside him or rather…he took it…stole it that damned thief and the thing is…it felt better in his hold … _she_ felt better in his hold. And she missed him…

She hadn't dared exit her chambers, not ever since Robin was taken away from her to be tended by his Merry clan … Snow was there, had been there all along, worry casting its gloomy colors upon her features, making them look oh so heavy … Her eyes though, eyes that once shattered a Queen's dreams by a spill of a secret not hers to share, were now giving Regina a kind of comfort she wouldn't have thought was possible to be meant for her …and yet it was… Snow had taken it upon herself to fill the ailing Queen in everything that was happening between the secured walls of their castle, whether it was of importance or not and Regina, while seemingly annoyed ,could not have been more grateful , for the chitchat was a welcome distraction from her troubled mind. Still…learning about how Ruby made a mess in the kitchen and how Leroy, upon trying to clean the Great Hall from the autumn leaves the open windows had brought in,- a task he already found unfair and not so mildly expressed so - stepped on his fork and was now in bed rest while he bestowed his 6 brothers with a wonderful , rich , everlasting monologue of how his life was a series of horrible jokes, Regina was longing for a different kind of info.

Would it be too obvious to ask Snow? After all it was _she_ who brought Robin in the castle in the first place. Besides, a Queen should care for her subjects, right? Nothing wrong with that…

Snow was still mumbling about how the rain had almost caused an overflow of the stables, demanding immediate intervention from all 6 of the remaining dwarfs as well as a couple of the strongest Merry Man (apparently some of them _could_ show some restraint for the buffet ) by the lead of David and "Regina you can't imagine the state of the place ! The horses were in distress and th-" was all she managed to form for at that point Regina , in what seemed like a single breath, was asking "what of the thief?"

"The _thief_?" Snow asked in honest puzzlement…Regina's lifted eyebrow and pointed stare apparently provided enough evident for the next second Snow was continuing "You know, he _has_ a name, Regina!"

"That's beside the point. So…is he… alive?" She wished her words hadn't come out with the hitch they actually did, revealing emotions she tried so hard to suppress.

"Yes…yes he is…barely so when I last saw him but alive", came Snow's reply and she needn't ask for anything further cause the look of utter relief etched on her stepmother's face was enough to validate what she was already suspecting. Trying to stiff her growing smile was a hard task indeed. Never the less…"It was a very generous thing you did," she added after a moment of silence." Tending to his wounds with your magic I mean. You didn't have to do it…"

Christ…was Snow fishing for information? Cause Regina had just about it what with her limbs being still sore and her confinement in her chambers making it even harder for her mind not to dwell upon the look of a certain thief's face after his blue depths had made contact with her brown orbs.

"You can go now Snow. Go to your husband. Rest. Take a bath for Christ's sake! You are beginning to smell like _forest_ . And I don't mean it in a complimentary manner…", Regina finished, resting back on the plush pillows adorning her bed.

Chastened, the princess' cheeks flashed a most profound shade of crimson, her eyes almost reaching her hair line, her mouth agape.

"Close your mouth dear, we are not a goldfish." was Regina's final admonishment for Snow almost jumped off her seat uttering through gritting teeth how she'd "like to see the day when that smell would be Regina's undoing" and with –what tried to be but failed miserably –a loud bang of the door she was gone… for _now_ …, Regina thought before she drifted to sleep, for Snow would always come back. And with the edges of her lips rising in a barely distinctive smile, Regina fell asleep…

* * *

He hadn't even managed to take but some steps towards the grand staircase that he knew would bring him ,corridor after corridor and steep staircase after steep staircase, to the highest tower where the Queen's chambers stood ,when a high pitched cry of " daddyyyyyyyyy" forced him out of his before he even had the chance to turn his body towards where the sound seemed to come from he felt the full body weight of his very own five year old crashing on him, while small hands squeezed his legs with a ferocity and need he remembered not in the past.

 _Roland…_

Gods he hadn't even realized how much he had missed looking at his son's dimples, dimples he had clearly inherited from him, and into these very familiar brown eyes …He had his mother's eyes and it was in moments like this that it would hit him like a freshly released arrow penetrating his heart, how much time it had been since Marian was gone and how much time his son breathed in this world without his mother by his side.

Thoughts like these weren't an everyday occurrence cause , indeed, as heartbreaking as Marian's passing had been, he had accepted it and he had tried, although not always as successfully, to form a new life for his son, his Merry Men and for him. And if ,some nights, when the wind would blow slowly , refreshing and cool, he'd feel as if it carried her voice, whispering words of love he had forgotten the taste of, well… he had accepted those as well for they were a reminder that she had actually been here, _once upon a time_ , and even though their time together wasn't as long and lasting as he had once thought- _imagined_ \- it would be at least it was theirs, _his_ , to keep safe in his heart for as long as he wished.

"Daddyyy?", Roland's wailing voice filled his ears once more and with that he was brought back to their shared present reality. His eyes finding his son's, his smile warm and full, he lifted his boy in his arms (easier than he had thought it would be what with his muscles being as unused as they were) and soon he felt soft curls underneath his chin and small hands folding together behind his neck, holding them impossibly attached.

"How's my little man?" he asked, for he was suddenly aware that without no conscious decision of his own, his son had nevertheless spent the last 4 days father-less, or at least with a father that was deeply unconscious and with that notion guilt made its way up his spine.

"Uncle John said you were sick" , came his reply, while tears started spilling from Roland's young eyes. "You were sleeping but he said I…I couldn't come…" but words were formed no more as his breathing became hatched and irregular, sniffing and sobbing making it difficult for his small lungs to breathe in and out while formulating words.

"Shhhh… it's okay. Roland, look at me. It's _okay_. Uncle John was right ,I was sick but I am sick no longer. See?" and with that he threw Roland in the air, grabbing him again, repeating the action for as long as his power allowed ,tickling him underneath his chin where he knew he son was most sensitive and that did it! Roland's sadness now forgotten, tears already drying upon his cheeks, he let a hearty little laughter that made Robin's heart swell with the kind of love only a parent can understand.

Moments like these made worth all the despair and all the heartbreak that destiny had brought his way. Moments like these made him fill with such tender ,raw and warm feelings, feelings that make a human think that _that_ is what happiness tastes like, that nothing can go wrong. But ,of course, that was the furthest from the truth for ,already, too many things had gone to hell and that was something he could not dismiss…

People say "forgive and forget" but can we really? Is it ,really, as easy as it sounds , to allow all those moments that made breathing so difficult and the thought of the next moment so unbelievable to experience? He'd rather forgive but remember. Memories, those pieces of our past still lingering in our futures, make as who we are. For we are our past. And we are our future. All of it. The good and the bad. The warm and the cold. The joy and the sadness. The love and the loss. All of them carve our soul , and how can you share that soul with anyone else if you don't carry it with you as a whole? As what it truly is? And he _wanted_ his soul to be shared. He was sure of that now, even though if you'd asked him not two months ago, he'd have replied with utter conviction that he was content with his life as it was. But now he wasn't that man. He was much more than that. He was the man he felt he was when Regina was near. When he'd feel her gaze even though he hadn't been looking. When they'd be so close to one another that the rest of the world seemed like it had disappeared. He wanted his soul to be shared. But just with her and her alone. Her past was daunting and fearsome to most and of that was indeed very much aware, but there was something about the way she'd carry herself, something about the look in her eyes and her crisp replies that had Robin thinking that the evil moniker was somewhat of an overstatement.

He wanted everything she'd allow him of her and all that he was willing to share with her as well. And he wanted to see her so very much…

For now though he had to settle, for there was a five year old little bear with his most favourite mop of hair and his most cherished little dimples that was in need of his father and in all honesty his father was in need of his boy as well.

With a swift turn he started walking towards the gardens, each step taking him further away from Regina but each thought bringing him that much closer. It was all about timing, he thought, and as that thought played in his mind he realized that indeed it was, and theirs was fast approaching.


	7. Chapter 7

**Helloooo :-) Quick heads up! the following chapter as well as the one after that (respectively 7 or 7a & 8 or 7b) will be the last POV based 7th will be from Regina's POV and the next Robin's and that's why you'll see the "7a" and the "7b" description , since they are two pieces of the same puzzle and yet separate chapters as ! Like I said,the chapters that'll come after these two will be dialogue based and there Regina and Robin willl FINALLY see each other after their ordeal. I have a somewhat clearer idea as to where this story is going and HOW it's going to proceed but I suffer from what one would call "writer's block" and under much thought I've decided to take a break and come back with chapters that would make both me and my story feel worth said that, I have to tell you that I loved writing this chapter. Horses are very close to my own heart as well and being able to pour some of it in this fic and share it, it was a very nice , I'll leave you to it ;-)**

 **Chapter 7 (or 7a)**

There was another meeting planned for later that day and given the fact that Regina had been in no-show for almost a week now she figured it was about time she reemerged from the four walls of her lavish chambers, walls that despite the solace they offered had started to close in on her ever since that fifth day of seclusion had dawned.

She recalled a time when the world wasn't as old as it was today (nor was she) when she hadn't yet been given a crown and a kingdom to rule, when she was -almost- ordinary (the word _almost_ vibrating forcefully in her mind) when she'd be out of her birth home the moment the first signs of a fresh sun would rise in the sky, relishing in the peace that the hills offered, a stillness undisturbed yet of burdens that would weigh her down to the point of utter damage and destruction. In _those_ days she had been happier than …well…just happier. True, Cora's presence cast a heaviness upon her young shoulders, a reminder of duties and opportunities, but still, in those moments, outside, everything seemed lighter, brighter and… possible.

Soon she found herself reminiscing the feel of brown mane underneath her finger tips, soft wet muzzles nudging her elbow for attention while her other hand worked the brush upon a long back and ribs with such certainty as if she was born to do just that. Be there. Amongst creatures with whom she could feel most at home with. A home within a home indeed , for it was this place that would shield her from Cora's fury , when a mother that didn't feel at all like one would release words that stung deeper than Regina was able to comprehend at the time. It was this place when this heartbroken younger version of herself would cry the pain away, would sob till she'd feel as if all water had dried out of her body, when her eyes were too sore, too red rimmed and pained for her to see nothing but blurry lines .

This barn, with its walnut alley doors and the high ceilings, had served as a safe haven when any other place seemed unsuited for the task. She was raised to become more than what she was, of _that_ she was aware. High expectations evading her mind, creating a cage for a soul that would otherwise run free till her legs could carry her no longer, till her lungs would ache and burn from her fair share of carefree moments, moments all too often hard to come by. And, still, that place… _That_ was the only place she could find herself, attempt a glimpse through the holes of her heavy armor -a girl of whom too many things were demanded and who , in return, asked for so few.

The same feeling accompanied her after her relocation to the king's castle and a long time after that, to a foreign realm that gave her more than she could ever ask for. Sure, the exterior would change. In some cases more regal, more deserving of residents of blue blood and gifted birth rights and others more subtle, more cozy, less elaborate but no less soothing.

She needn't consider it any longer. Decisions easily made, hair brushed and left loosely cascading down her lower back , clothes changed and riding boots wore, she made her way through corridors that not many knew the existence of, out in the open air. It was certainly colder than she had expected it would be, her room's roaring fire shielding her from the chilliness of the morning, but the feeling of this coldness entering her lungs, running down her spine, grazing her cheeks softly was a welcome one and as such she embraced it for it made her feel more alive than she had felt for quite some time.

It wasn't a long walk till she reached the lower grounds of the castles' property where the barns could already be seen. Amongst the hillsides, the everlasting green trees, the grass that so softly moved when the breeze would touch it just so. God it felt as if not one day had passed since she first laid eyes upon this large building that combined not one but three different barns and sheltered magnificent horses that could bring tears to her eyes just by their mere sight. Of course not days but _years_ had passed since that girl, with a ring on her right hand marking her as someone else's property and a freshly shattered heart, had cast her eyes upon these stone walls. _Years_ … and yet again this sight made her feel as if time had turned backwards, as if she was unscathed by wrong decisions and malice and now… _now_ she could breathe again.

( _why did everything feel so easy out in the open?_ )

Familiar fragrances filled her nostrils, made the windmills of her mind rotate once again, her eyes closing as she let herself get carried away, for she recognized the smell of hay charging the atmosphere, the leather of the equipment beckoning her to touch and those magnificent creatures that over and over and over again filled her with warmth and joy scratching the wooden doors, feeling that the time was near that they'd gallop once more. And it was…

She had always loved horses. Never once had she feared them, but instead recognized a kindness and a softness in their eyes that she felt deprived of from her human companions. Somehow when that realization hit her she felt neither pain nor remorse. She wouldn't change those moments of tranquility for anything…

Her mind returning to its present she took a closer look at the horses now awaiting to be she had to identify the breeds, though she was well aware that she was no longer a part of the 21st century of the modern world thus such descriptions no longer mattered, she'd say that they looked closer to the Friesian horse, similar to which were amongst the few that the barn back in Storybrooke included. Black mane, nimble and graceful built, powerful muscles distinctive with the slightest of movement, thick mane and tail almost touching the ground.

The one that her eyes had landed upon was a tall one, one of the tallest she had ever seen, its back leveling to her shoulders and _my God_ it was a truly beautiful creature. She had ridden a similar one, she recalled, in a time much too painful for her to remember, when she'd lead her knights in this ever lasting search of her -what used to be-enemy, through mountains and forests, in the dead of the night, only to be ambushed and led to her execution. Good Lord, the _times_ she had come as close to death…. Too many to count and yet each and every one of them carried a very heavy significance in her soul.

She was scarred by her choices and yet, here she was now, living and breathing, given a second chance (although child-less) and so she had to make-do, or at least _do_ something about it….Henry would have wanted that… _Henry_ …

She shouldn't let her mind travel down that road that often, she decided. She would find a way, or at least she would die trying, but sulking over situations that were not able to be immediately changed, she knew, were non profitable and too heart wrecking…and a heart can only take too much.

With that last thought she chose her saddle and prepared that very same stag she had been admiring earlier. He was a feisty one, she could tell, hot tempered in all of its glory, neighing in anticipation , its hooves hitting the pebbled floor, but then again she never got along with the mild ones. She had always needed to be amongst equal companions, deserving of her very own similar nature, even when those were animals.

Her muscles' memory awakened, she only needed a little force and then she was taking her place upon the saddle, petting its long neck and she should name it, she thought…Names have this tendency of making things more personal, more familiar. She had loved Rocinante. Her sweet disposition and her lovely name, carefully picked for a loving creature. She could still remember the feeling of responsibility that marked the day her daddy told her that it was up to her to decide a name. Oh how she had dwelled upon several others, trying the feel of them in her tongue and in her heart, but in the end, after hours upon hours of contemplation, that had seemed like the only proper choice. Now, all this time after, she could indeed agree that yes, _yes, it was_ the right choice. But she was not 15 anymore and her needs had changed as well as she had and now she didn't feel that a name as soft as the one previously picked would suit her nor her horse, for it became hers the moment she felt him relax under her touch and she above his warmth and ,anyway, wasn't she the Queen after all? She could have whichever horse she wanted!

 _Vibrations running through her whole body, taking over all of her senses, coming up her spine from where her body met the saddle, from the point where her body absorbed each and every movement of her horse's, each gallop, each jump, each leap…._

 _She ran like there was no tomorrow –for indeed who's to say there would be! The elements had all subsided by now, the storm nothing but a faint heaviness in the atmosphere, the woods coming alive, breathing in …breathing out…_

 _She could feel everything that was happening as if she were a part of it all. A part of the trees, a part of the flowers and the grass, of the wind, of the sun, of the sky, a sky that was not limited to the blue of the atmosphere but would stretch and expand and involve and hug everything…everything till the point where it met the earth and that was where it ended._

 _She could feel everything as if she had been born just now. As if she was unscathed by the world, as if_ ** _she_** _hadn't marked it in return. How can there be moments like this? Moments when you think that no matter what happened in the past, despite the worries, the hurt, despite it all, there can still be moments like this one, rare and unique, that everything seems possible. When you think "I can do it" even if each and every one of the past moments thought you couldn't. When your breaths are deeper, your lungs are fuller and your heart feels as though it could burst at any minute though nothing extravagant, nothing extraordinary really, took place. Maybe that's the secret. The ordinary. The things that we have become so used to, so deeply acquainted with that we have ,at some point, lost our connection to them. And with that we lost a part of ourselves as well..._

" _Storm…."_

She tasted the word in her mouth. Let it slip. Allow it to give itself texture. Become a reality. _Storm_ … Yes… It felt right. It felt like something more than the name it was destined to become. More than the meaning someone else gave it. It held power. Gravity. Strenght. But it also held the promise of a rebirth, the way the soil bathes itself in new life after the downpour is over. A rebirth…And how could that not be the most appropriate name for a creature that brought in the surface ( _her_ surface) her very one renaissance. That would be it… _Storm_ …

Time flies _they say_ …

For Regina, time had been an elusive entity (if such a thing as time can be objectified ). It always felt like it could slip from her fingers, melt away, a belonging of other people, not hers to behold… She didn't have time to enjoy her childhood cause "you have more important things to do ,dear" Cora would say and so _that_ was taken away from her. Then…Daniel…a first love so unfairly wiped off from her life before it even got the chance to become something, to take on a life of its own and unveil all the possibilities. Then Henry… she couldn't tell if, in his case, she lost the time or if time lost her…Such a childish game to constantly seek something that no one can attain.

And now she was here…and she had time… but now that she had it, what was she supposed to do with it? She longed for it for so long that this endless treasure hunt's finish line seemed like a joke. She should be glad. God she _is glad ._ True, she'd rather lack time in this realm if that meant that she would be taken back to her home…to her son. But now she was here, _they_ were here , and she had time… yes ,she had…. _she had_ ? Wait…what time was it? A look at the setting sun verified her suspicions that ,indeed, time flies and she should head back if she'd want to be on time for their meeting…and she _should_ be there on time. God only knows, one person can only take too much of other's care and protection and ,these days, Snow had taken upon her slim shoulders to play the cheerleader of anyone who wasn't in the mood and Regina, for all the appreciation, just had enough.

 _Did she think that she had time? Ugh… AS! IF!_


	8. Chapter 8

**Helloooooo you guys! This is kind of a historic moment! okay maybe this is a bit of an overstatement BUT it IS a moment in MY history so let's leave it at that. I am so sorry for such a long absence and I am also very sorry that I cannot promise you when the next update will be. You see, I HAD in mind a certain way I'd have liked my story to move forward but whether it is just a coincidence or so many of us share a very kindred imagination, but so happened that I read many many fics leading to my prefered ending so I felt like that wouldn't do . I DO plan on finishing this story though, that's for sure ! that's about it for now...Have fun! fyi this is Robin's POV. Hopefully there'll be dialogue (YESSS) between these two in the following chapter!**

 **Chapter 7b**

On the other side of the grounds, in the exact opposite location of where Regina currently was, in a place dearly beloved by a certain five year-old young outlaw, Robin found himself feeling as if time wasn't quite following its destined norm. It was as if everything that was taking place right now, in this small but imposing little yard, with the apple trees encircling it like a half moon, and a fountain in the middle that portrayed a young unicorn, standing on his back feet, water hiding the hooves and reaching mid-thigh, (quite a majestic creature, Robin thought, wondering at the same time ,if they actually ever existed) even the activities in which he himself participated in, weren't exactly…real… Realistic maybe but there was a quality missing, a quality that Robin had never before remembered feeling lacking. It was the kind of quality that one can only grasp in understanding if they have found themselves in a similar position as Robin now found himself. And what that position may be, you would ask? _Well_ …for Robin's peculiar state of mind the only person deemed responsible was a very specific woman, with long raven hair that – he recalled - seemed highlighted when the sun would cast its glow upon it, a woman with luscious full lips, brown eyes that reminded him of the colors of an oak tree he once encountered in one of his journeys, warm brown but emanating something impossibly strong and fierce (and that's how a soul reveals itself, he thought) a woman with such delicate ,lean nose and such strong yet calming features, a woman who ,the outlaw realized, had been waving her way into his heart, possibly, from day one. It is the kind of quality that one is experiencing only when there are newly-comprehended emotions overtaking every single vacant spot of his heart, even the ones that he had agreed with himself need never be filled again after Marian's passing.

Maybe, it was in these spots that he found her more than anyplace else, Robin realized and somehow that filled him with the explanation he'd been searching ever since he awoke that very same morning. An explanation that revealed why, in spite of all the things he should be thinking, all the thoughts that were occupying his mind were leaning towards Regina. _Well_ …leaning would be an understatement. It was more like, his own brain, had succumbed to her, had given in, had surrendered itself willingly and she had taken it, accepting it all, and now there she was, resilient and vibrating life, a life inside his life, a soul within a soul. Oh God… when had he become such a romantic? When had his mind started placing all those words together, words that he hadn't summoned, not since his early adulthood, long before he met Marian, when he wasn't an outlaw ,yet, but a noble, and it was then that he had found himself falling in love for the first time. He realized that he was thinking about Regina with the same words, the same freshness and naivety of a new love, of a person standing in the threshold of a new beginning.

Little John was apparently all too aware of his friend's need of privacy and so he had taken Roland in a wild dragon-chase across the grounds (although, to be honest, when he had first suggested the game he hadn't, exactly, in mind him being the dragon) thus leading a fully energized Roland to poking him with his –thank Heavens not a real one- but a wooden-knife, or " _ouch_ _!_ _Rolaaaand ! What have we said about hitting people in the b-" "okay!"_ came Robin's fast reply when he realized what his mate was about to say! True, Roland _had_ indeed unceremoniously poked Little John in his arse with the excuse that the latter "was taking too _long_ daddy! Dragons don't rest!" came his son's declaration, accompanied by a lopsided grin that soon became a pout when he realized that his papa was not finding the joke in the situation and that his uncle (cause that's how he used to call Little John his whole life) had a pair of very red cheeks while trying to seize the pain from his…behind!

"Roland, uncle John is _not_ a dragon, my boy, although…", said Robin only to continue with his own teasing grin attracting both Roland and Jon's attention "if your uncle hadn't eaten all these potatoes at lunch maybe he'd be moving a little easier" and with that Roland was back at his dimpled happy squeaky self, for he knew his papa was teasing uncle John and _that_ was always funny!

"Hey! A man has needs!" John said quickly but Robin was in a full-teasing mode and the game had just begun!

"You know, needs come with the size", Robin teased and "tell that to Granny Lucas!" John said fast "if _she_ didn't cook so well I wouldn't be eating so much!"

"So I surmise that the roots and the rabbits on the fire we used to eat before were equally tasty? 'Cause I remember us running to get some food before you indulged in all of our dinners" Robin's hearty laughter was soon released from deep within his throat and that was enough for a guilty smile to spread upon John's face and his "What can I say? Food is my soft spot" was soon met with Robin's "I wouldn't dare call it a "spot" anymore, old friend" resolved in laughter from both sides.

That was good, Robin thought. Laughing and joking with his men over matters that would not determine the course of a lifetime. For the matters of the heart more often than not, leave indeed, their distinctive mark, changing the person over and over again, resonating deep within his most unconscious thoughts and participating in decisions that indeed alter one's life. He somehow felt that the Queen _was_ such a person. A person carrying the potential for a three hundred and sixty five degrees' shift of his reality and yet, despite all the significance, all the power that she beheld against him, despite it all, he trusted her in such a profound way that even he was surprised to acknowledge. Cause he trusted her with the most important kind of trust. The one that makes you want to give your heart to someone and not be afraid they'll break it.

He knew not where such faith in her stemmed from and, still, he felt it in his bones that despite all her heartbreak and all her dark moments, she was somehow the only person he found himself wanting to share a future with.

Maybe all that was moving too fast… Gosh they _had_ to talk, really talk! He had to be sure, sure that what he felt in the forest, what took place between them wasn't just a last chance to express themselves before death, cause he didn't want to be that for her. He wanted more. He wanted everything. He wanted _her…_

 _And they had to talk…_

With that thought he left his son under the protection of his friend, and moved in quick pace towards the Great Hall. He had a meeting to attend and words to share.


	9. Chapter 9

**Howdy everyone ! ^.^ It is I! No! Your eyes aren't playing games! I am back and glad to inform you that not only this chapter is, as you can see, HERE AT LAST, but also that the next one is on it's way and things have finally started to make sense and I honestly can't wait to write these next chapters and I** ** _can't wait for you to read them_** **, even more! Without further ado (cause I have probably used every single drop of that tbh) enjoy!**

Throughout her whole life, in all those years she spent living and breathing on this planet (this planet but in different dimensions no less) Regina had longed for several things. She had longed for them, missed them, wanted them and every so often, through blood and tears and regret, she had attained them. If only for a while. She had longed for the love of a mother who hadn't been maternal to her at all. She had craved for her affections more than any thoughts could explain. Because she shouldn't want anything from her. Because her mother was bad news in every form she ever took. And yet she couldn't help herself. She was always hoping that she would, one day, find herself loved by the one person who had claimed that she wanted what was best for her,the same person who never took a second to ask Regina what she, herself, thought that "best thing''actually was or should have been. Questions were not Mother's thing, that's for sure.

She had longed for the freedom she wasn't destined to own 'till it was too late for her mistakes to be undone.

She had longed to feel love running through her veins, oozing from her pores, engulfing her, making her whole. She had longed and longed and dreamed and hoped and when she had finally found someone to share her heart with, to love and be loved in return, _that_ was taken from her as well. And then she was left to missing…missing Daniel and missing those long gone pieces of her heart, the part of her that died in those stables with him, the part that was buried with him in a land where the promise of a different life was formed and then was turned to ashes, the same ashes that had once been his beating heart.

She had longed for a family. Had wanted it more than anything, as she realized later on. And she had gotten one. She had gotten Henry. But how much weight can a child's shoulders carry? How much 'till everything crumbles to the ground? How much 'till he goes looking for another parent, a "real" one, the one who gave him life and flesh and blood. A parent not yet stained by bad choices? How much?

And then the missing returned… and the longing… and the wanting. How much loss can a heart hold until it loses itself? And yet that wasn't the end. Because endings don't feel that way. They don't taste like hope. And there was hope with Henry. There was hope each time he asked of her, when he didn't want her to get hurt, when he put her first, even after everything that had happened between them, even after his own precious - so very very precious - heart was bruised. That's when she realized that that's what _love_ felt like. What love _feels_ like.

Those were the kind of thoughts that carried her towards the thing she hadn't realized she had been wanting, needing, craving, surrendering herself to it, until it was left bruised on a forest floor on her behalf… and the thing is, what she'd been _wanting, needing, craving, surrendering herself to_ wasn't a thing at all…not unless a pulsating heart, a pair of the bluest of eyes, a set of strong arms that had held her and protected her, unless all those things that made Robin a human, could be considered a thing. And who would ever make such a mistake? It hadn't been that long since she had left the stables and her riding companion behind, heading straight towards her chambers where she'd changed to a more fitting outfit for the council meeting that she was now on her way to. Riding boots turned into sensual heels, pants and coats exchanged for lavish velvet gowns, her collarbone and her shoulders left to be kissed by the crisp autumnal air, the long-sleeved charcoal material hugging her curves in all the ways that made her feel like the woman she had become, tight fitting until it reached her middle, three golden stars encircling her slender waist as if they had dropped from the night sky merely for this occasion, and _there_ it opened to a slightly flared out skirt, the total blackness fragmented by strings of gold that ended up multiplying as if the gown was baptized in gold, as if the sun was kissing the ground she was standing. She had always been considered beautiful, of that there was no denying - and those who were foolish enough to state otherwise no one believed anyway. And yet, stunning as she might have been in the eyes of others, while looking herself in the mirror, she always found something lacking, something utterly misplaced, something definitely missing. Yes, people _had_ always admitted that the looks of the Queen were unrivalled and even when the evil moniker accompanied her title, still there was no denying that if only looks could kill she need not another weapon. _And yet_ , it had taken such a long time for her to see what the others were already admiring, to make it truly hers, and then amplify it. For her accepting it made her all the more beautiful. And not _just_ beautiful. She was arresting. Captivating. Unique. Infinite. Her hair long past the middle of her back was left free in loose curls, flowing with her movements, a dance that her gown shares, billowing in the wind, making her appear as if she is floating. And maybe she is. Her step quick but certain, solid on a floor that her body seemed to remember instinctively even though the situation since she last stepped foot on it had much changed, her heels reverberating on the stone walls and matching the beats of her heart, ever increasing, faster, _faster-_ until…

 _Until_ she was there. Double doors open, voices carrying thoughts and worries, candles lit, backs turned to her and fronts facing her and the sky as clear as ever staring back at her through those eyes that she hadn't been able to stop picturing within the tight confines of her mind in all of her waking hours. Brown getting lost in blue, the world seizing movement, time stopping, turning back, replaying again and again and again the moment she first saw him sitting in between empty seats, locking his gaze with hers and her giving something to him that she hadn't realized how ready she was to finally surrender.

Mulan, Red, Granny, Leroy (of _course_ ), Archie, Snow, Charming, _Robin and her_. She hadn't sat right next to him even though every single one of her instincts was screaming at her to close all distances. With Snow on her left, whose left in turn was occupied by Charming and Archie on her right, Robin was left sitting right next to the latter, two seats away from her though it felt as if both an eternal void and no distance at all was separating them. The remaining seats were taken by the annoying dwarf, the shape shifter, and the warrior. In all honesty she hadn't _really_ been listening to what was currently being discussed. It's not that she didn't find the topics interesting it was just that…well, okay! she _didn't_ really find them interesting at all, but the main reason for her lack of concentration was sitting two seats away, stealing glances at her when he thought no one was paying attention, his body gravitating towards her, though if that was conscious or not she couldn't precisely tell, hers equally attuned to his presence, and poor Archie being rendered a sandwich of untold feelings. " _Sandwich"? Seriously?_ God she really should get something to eat if her using culinary related terms to describe human conditions is any indication of the state of her empty stomach. And when was the last time she ate, truly? What was her last meal? Was it a lunch? A breakfast? She had eaten something after she had awoken, of that she was certain but wha-

 _"_ _Regina! "_

Snow's controlled little shout having finally reached her ears, she let all thoughts of a meal slip from her mind, and concentrated on the question that was directed towards her.

"What!?", and maybe she should try to rein her temper since it really was her fault that she hadn't been paying attention.

"I was asking you how would you like to celebrate your birthday. You _do_ remember your birth date is coming up soon, right?," Snow asked with a tone that suggested that it was quite possible she didn't (and _she couldn't have been more right_ , Regina thought). "I was thinking that a ball would be nice. Nothing extravagant.- and at her stepmother's raised eyebrow she amended- okay maybe _a little_ extravagant ,but we've been here for such a long time and all we've done is plan and worry and chase flying monkeys and…your sister and we've forgotten to live a little as well. Also, I've been dying to wear a few of the gowns resting in my closet," she added with a good natured laugh that even Regina couldn't keep from sharing.

"Do you really think it would be wise? With all these people gathered in one place, if Zelena decides to strike then we'd be sitting ducks."

"Regina, we are always sitting ducks when it comes to Zelena…" Snow replied and at that Charming added "We'll have guards at their posts, with rotating shifts so that everyone can enjoy the ball, and you have already placed protection spells around the grounds. Chances are, even if she tries to do something, she won't achieve much."

Eyeing the pair, her gaze travelled to the rest of their companions. "You, too?" she asked Leroy who, even though, was as usual glaring at everything and everyone, seemed to have been convinced that the possibility of an upcoming feast was a great idea if the anxious looks he was sending both her way and Charmings' in the event of the ball not happening was any indication.

"Dwarfs need their ale and their dance, too, sister!", he replied and then went back to his infinite scowling.

"My Men will keep watch, as well, milady," Robin added and at that she finally let her eyes rest on his, purposefully this time. "There is no reason for you not to enjoy your day," he finished and God where _were_ her words? Why did it always feel like her brain seized functioning whenever he was around? W ith a small nod of her head directed at Snow but with her eyes never leaving Robin's sight, and with a dismissive wave of a hand, she merely said " Have it your way," and at Snow's loud squeal she could all but hope that she hadn't made a terrible mistake agreeing to it.

"We are having a ball then!" the Princess declared before the moved to a talk about the garlands…

 ***p.s feedback is always welcome so, if you feel like it, comment away ;-)**


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